The present invention relates generally to devices for controlling pressure within pneumatic tires, and more particularly to a remotely controllable valve system through which a vehicle tire may be inflated or deflated.
In the operation of wheeled vehicles carried by pneumatic tires, it is frequently desirable to control the inflation pressure within the tires for optimum operational efficiency of the tires and the wheeled vehicle under various operating and road conditions for extended tread life of the tires, anti-skid precautions, blow-out prevention, and other safety and economy reasons. Such measures are especially important in the operation of large aircraft. For example, optimum tire performance may be obtained using relatively high inflation pressure for take-off, and relatively low inflation pressure for landing. These desirable inflation levels may be variable depending upon weather and runway surface conditions. Further, and especially as applied to the large transport and tanker aircraft, large changes in the gross weight of the aircraft may occur during its mission, such as by personnel or equipment deployment or by inflight transfer of aircraft fuel. Suitable control of the inflation pressure of the tires of the aircraft provides proper reduced pressure consistent with the landing weight of the aircraft upon termination of the mission. When landing on unimproved airfields, control of the inflation pressure affords maximum flotation capability to the aircraft; footprint size is optimized for improved ground control and braking capability on any runway surface. Tread life may be extended by as much as 100% by judicious control of the tire inflation pressure.
The present invention provides a novel remotely controllable pneumatic inflation/deflation valve system especially suited for use aboard an aircraft, and which is characterized by the foregoing desirable attributes. The valve of the present invention provides selective inflation or deflation of the aircraft tires from aboard the aircraft during flight or during ground taxi, in order to provide momentaneous optimum tire pressure consistent with existing flight or taxi conditions.
It is therefore a principal object of the present invention to provide an improved inflation/deflation system for the pneumatic tires of a wheeled vehicle.
It is a further object to provide a remotely controllable pneumatic tire inflation/deflation system for an aircraft.
It is yet a further object to provide a remotely controllable pneumatic tire inflation/deflation system for an aircraft which is compact and can be accommodated within the axle of the aircraft.
These and other objects of the present invention will become apparent as the detailed description of certain representative embodiments thereof proceeds.